German Fest canceled in protest of county fee

German Fest & The People's Fireworks has attracted thousands of people over the past seven years to Steitz's Restaurant on shores of Bluff Lake near Antioch.

John Steitz, the third generation owner of Steitz's Restaurant and Marina in unincorporated Lake County, is hoping people come out again this Saturday, but this time to protest the fest's cancellation.

Steitz said he canceled the festival after the Lake County Department of Planning of Zoning tried to charge a new fee that he said was previously unwritten and unannounced.

County officials said the fee is necessary to pay for the additional marine patrols they feel are needed to ensure public safety on the Chain O' Lakes during special events — akin to the way event organizers must pay for traffic patrols during similar events on land.

“Where was this in writing before me asking for the permit, and what guidelines were they following when they decided extra patrols would be needed?” Steitz argued. “Where is the protocol for this? That's what has me fired up, this is not written anywhere.”

Steitz said he created German Fest and the fireworks show over Bluff Lake seven years ago to pay homage to his late father, who owned the restaurant before him.

He said the event has steadily grown over the last seven years, and drew roughly 3,000 people in 2010.

He was expecting a larger crowd this year, but pulled the plug when the county said it would cost an extra $1,700 for patrol boats from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

“For the last three years, Antioch Fire and Rescue comes out on their own to watch over things and makes sure everyone is safe,” Steitz complained. “Also, the fee wasn't in writing anywhere before me applying for the permit. I couldn't afford the extra fee, so we had to cancel the event.”

The protest he is organizing will begin at noon, Saturday at the restaurant at 25400 W. Bluff Lake Road.

Lake County Zoning Administrator Dusty Powell said, officially, the cost of the fee was not $1,700 as Steitz claims, but added the special permit that Steitz applied for requires that all events have a special traffic enforcement detail in place before the permit being issued.

He said, under the wording of the unified development ordinance, it does not specify whether that event is held on land or over water, and that the special traffic enforcement is paid for by the event organizer.

“For example, if a church is having a special night that would require this special use permit, they would have to supply traffic enforcement for the permit to be issued,” he said. “This is no different.”

He said the fee for the patrols is $78 per boat, per hour, and for German Fest, it would cost $936 for two boats for six hours.

“When a special event is held on the water, extra patrol boats are required in addition to the normal patrols,” he said. “The only thing we are asking is, if the event is on the water, they pay the cost for that extra patrol.”

Powell said the new fee was instituted this year, and that Steitz wasn't singled out. Fox Lake was charged for added patrols during the Venetian Night fireworks show in August, he added.

Nancy Scheurr, village administrator for Fox Lake, confirmed the village was charged by Lake County for added patrols, but said they paid “approximately $475” for two boats over three hours.

“They sent us an invoice in June, and we paid it,” she said. “I can't remember the exact price, but it was about $475.”

Meanwhile, Steitz said he already has purchased a permit to hold the fireworks show in 2012, and that he wasn't charged for the added patrols when obtaining that permit.

“German Fest and the fireworks will be back next year,” he said. “I was in and out in five minutes and wasn't required to pay an extra fee.”